We eat soul cakes and listen—
hear only
hush of whispered sighs beneath the oak, a sea of bones,
as lust,
as debauchery cavorts amongst the fey,
like smoke,
like city tinsel and crimsoning echoes;
it will claim you, if left to its own devices,
staining every thought with fuchsia lips and darker moans
so pretty
that they haunt the moon.
Desperate mouths
are perfect blend of carnal and chaste;
a silhouette of uninterrupted silence that begs for solace,
have they no warmth?
Do they think of death and extend their hand out?
Peonies blooming in their hearts
while limbs work to elucidate hunger—
surely they must know
that deceased are somewhere close, as the flames flicker
and the hinges crunch.
Come clarity, come incisiveness of bright sun,
we build our walls high
and pay heed to both soft and savage side—
as the duskier half of the year arrives,
let us feast,
let us call upon gently to wisdom offered by nature,
we are where our mind roams
and though lines are blurred, lament not—
remember that winter’s cold gust is like a kiss
from a ghost;
feel the affirmation in your ribs,
in rawness of predawn, come, collide with breath—
we are what we make ourselves to be.
Photo credits: Person standing in front of house, wallpaperbetter
Lisa hosts at dVerse and invites us to write a poem speaking to a human
attribute that is particularly annoying to us. She further adds that poem
must have a Halloween or Samhain theme to it. Come join us! 💝
Posted for Poetics: Halloweeny Humans @dVerse Poets Pub
“staining every thought with fuchsia lips and darker moans” What a VIVID line…I can feel it! And the last four lines are also amazing to me. You did it! Of course, you did!
Thank you so much, my dearest Lillian 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️
A perfect weaving of Halloween themes with the theme of human frailty, Sanaa! It is hard to pick out a favourite line because they are all stunning. I love your conclusion ❤️
Thank you so much, Ingrid 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️
These are some haunting words!
Thank you so much, Ken 😀 so good to see you, my friend 💄❤️
Ghostly cakes & dead voices narration, I can feel the eerie vibes from your lines. Blurred lines betwen life and death. Love the concluding ending lines.
Thank you so much, Grace 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️
Haunting imagery, Sanaa, where you softly tread near the thin veil and peer through it.
Thank you so much, Lisa 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️
(and thank you for the glorious prompt) 🌹
This wonderful complex and masterful poem is an example of what can be accomplished when you have advance notice for the prompt. It is so good, I realize it took more than an hour to create it. This poem not only rocks the prompt, but it checks the box on romanticism, albeit it goes to a dark place of lust and moan. Exceptional word-smithing and flow, both erotic and macabre
That is such high praise! Thank you so much, Glenn 😀 so glad you liked it 💄❤️
Sanaa,
How you gracefully, with skillful tonality and imagery, led us through the horror into the light was stunning! The last four lines took my breath away. Just brilliant writing, my friend.
pax,
dora
Thank you so much, Dora 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️
We are indeed what we make ourselves to be. Unfortunately, at times we seem to make poor choices.
Thank you so much, Beverly 🙂 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️
Haunting and sensuous Sanaa. You can always be counted on to add spice to the banquet! Well written.
Thank you so much, Rob 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️
The whole thing is moving, but I especially like where it lands: we are what we make ourselves to be
Thank you so much, Alexandra 😀 so glad you liked it 💄❤️
This line is so atmospheric: “Desperate mouths are perfect blend of carnal and chaste” all your verses sizzle until the revelation at the end, loved it!
Thank you so much, my dearest Tricia 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️
My favorite part is, “remember that winter’s cold gust is like a kiss from a ghost;”
Thank you so much, Jenna 😀 so glad you liked it 💄❤️
Beautifully done Sanaa! Your imagery is so good. I love this line…
remember that winter’s cold gust is like a kiss
from a ghost;
Thank you so much, Dwight 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️
Sanaa, I will now … think of our changing season as “as the duskier half of the year” ~~ how incredibly lovely and positive. Your poem is awesome.
Thank you so much, my dearest Helen 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️
“let us call upon gently to wisdom offered by nature”–what a wonderful affirmation.
❤️❤️❤️
Beautifully haunting images.
Thank you so much, Marion 😀 so good to see you 💄❤️
Amazing write, Sanaa! You seamlessly wove the Halloween theme with moral laxity. Love the concluding lines. ❤️
Thank you so much, Punam 😀 so glad you enjoyed it 💄❤️
chilling…winters kiss
Hauntingly beautiful write
much❤love
Thank you so much, Gillena 😀 so glad you liked it 💄❤️
Much love back ..
Awesome wordsmithing, haunting halloweenish and sensuous … incredible talent to wrap all that together and a clincher conclusion!
“as debauchery cavorts amongst the fey,
like smoke,
like city tinsel and crimsoning echoes;
it will claim you, if left to its own devices,”
you build the theme up so well!
Thank you so much, Kate 😀 so glad the poem resonated with you 💄❤️
this is beautiful sanaa, i really like the biblical feel of the phrasing. i was trying to figure out what human attribute you were writing about: poverty? desperation? self-pity? those who are poor in spirit? but it eludes me (and i like that, kept me engaged and entertained for nearly half an hour) i like how the poem totters between lustful and pious. in the end i just kept going back to that first line “We eat soul cakes and listen—” feel like a hymn for the spiritless. well done sanaa, very well written
Thank you so much, Philip 😀 so glad you liked it 💄❤️